Rush Limbaugh: An Army of One [NOOK Book]

Overview

Do you remember your first time?

People tend to remember the moment they first heard The Rush Limbaugh Show on the radio. For Zev Chafets, it was in a car in Detroit, driving down Woodward Avenue. Limbaugh's braggadocio, the outrageous satire, the slaughtering of liberal sacred cows performed with the verve of a rock-n-roll DJ-it seemed fresh, funny and completely ...

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This Book

Overview

Do you remember your first time?

People tend to remember the moment they first heard The Rush Limbaugh Show on the radio. For Zev Chafets, it was in a car in Detroit, driving down Woodward Avenue. Limbaugh's braggadocio, the outrageous satire, the slaughtering of liberal sacred cows performed with the verve of a rock-n-roll DJ-it seemed fresh, funny and completely subversive. "They're never going to let this guy stay on the air," he thought.

Almost two decades later Chafets met Rush for the first time, at Limbaugh's rarely visited "Southern Command." They spent hours together talking on the record about politics, sports, music, show business, religion and modern American history. Rush opened his home and his world, introducing Chafets to his family, closest friends, even his psychologist. The result was an acclaimed cover-story profile of Limbaugh in The New York Times Magazine.

But there was much more to say, especially after Limbaugh became Public Enemy Number One of the Obama Administration. At first Limbaugh resisted the idea of a full-length portrait, but he eventually invited Chafets back to Florida and exchanged more than a hundred emails full of his personal history, thoughts, fears and ambitions. What has emerged is an uniquely personal look at the man who is not only the most popular voice on the radio, but the leader of the conservative movement and one of the most influential figures in the Republican Party.

While Limbaugh's public persona is instantly recognizable, his background and private life are often misunderstood. Even devoted Dittoheads will find there's a lot they don't know about the self-described "harmless little fuzzball" who has, over the years, taken on the giants of the mainstream media and the Democratic Party-from Bill and Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama-with "half his brain tied behind his back, just to make it fair." Chafets paints a compelling portrait of Limbaugh as a master entertainer, a public intellectual, a political force, and a fascinating man.

What People Are Saying

From the Publisher

"Rush Limbaugh is a complicated man. There is some Sunday School boy in him, over from the Centenary Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and a touch of Hugh Hefner's Playboy Club; some of Bo Diddley's swaggering guitar, mixed with William F. Buckley's drawing-room harpsichord. Rush is an introvert with forty guests for dinner on Thanksgiving; a cynical romantic who doesn't understand women but keeps on trying; a polite, soft-spoken listener who, on the air, aims rude, sometimes vulgar personal insults at his ideological enemies; a sophisticated political satirist whose own taste in humor runs to corny mother- in-law jokes. He is a conservative revolutionary, the inventor of the talk-back radio industry, a school-hating college drop-out who turned into a "weapon of mass instruction." There probably isn't another man on planet earth whose role models and heroes include Ronald Reagan, Muhammad Ali, James Madison, Larry "Superjock" Lujack, Justice Antonin Scalia, and Professor Irwin Corey.

"People who dismiss Rush Limbaugh as an entertainer, a pitchman or a hot-air balloon are very wrong. He is a brilliant and tenacious advocate, a major political and cultural force who can't be wished away or shouted down or sniffed into irrelevance. Smart liberals will listen to his show, even if they hate what he has to say. The easily outraged, will be. Those with a sense of humor will find themselves laughing despite themselves. But nobody will fully understand American politics and media culture until they get who Rush Limbaugh really is, what he does, and how he does it."

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Rush Limbaugh is a complicated man. There is some Sunday School boy in him, over from the Centenary Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and a touch of Hugh Hefner's Playboy Club; some of Bo Diddley's swaggering guitar, mixed with William F. Buckley's drawing-room harpsichord. Rush is an introvert with forty guests for dinner on Thanksgiving; a cynical romantic who doesn't understand women but keeps on trying; a polite, soft-spoken listener who, on the air, aims rude, sometimes vulgar personal insults at his ideological enemies; a sophisticated political satirist whose own taste in humor runs to corny mother- in-law jokes. He is a conservative revolutionary, the inventor of the talk-back radio industry, a school-hating college drop-out who turned into a "weapon of mass instruction." There probably isn't another man on planet earth whose role models and heroes include Ronald Reagan, Muhammad Ali, James Madison, Larry "Superjock" Lujack, Justice Antonin Scalia, and Professor Irwin Corey.

"People who dismiss Rush Limbaugh as an entertainer, a pitchman or a hot-air balloon are very wrong. He is a brilliant and tenacious advocate, a major political and cultural force who can't be wished away or shouted down or sniffed into irrelevance. Smart liberals will listen to his show, even if they hate what he has to say. The easily outraged, will be. Those with a sense of humor will find themselves laughing despite themselves. But nobody will fully understand American politics and media culture until they get who Rush Limbaugh really is, what he does, and how he does it."

Related Subjects

Meet the Author

Zev Chafets is the author of eleven books of fiction, media criticism, and social and political commentary. He is a frequent contributor to the New York Times Magazine and a former columnist for the New York Daily News.

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the conservative voice for america

"rush limbaugh an army of one" is a very hard to put down book and gave me a very indepth look into the life of one of americas greatest talk show hosts. it was very fasinating to me to learn about his early years and how he got started and what intrested me the most is this arthur interviewed the people that were the nearest to him and I got to learn how his political views were first formed and were they were shaped. great gift idea for a friend or family member.

6 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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xjcsa

Posted July 4, 2010

Sloppy editing mars compelling, fascinating read

Rush Limbaugh is a fascinating man, and this book does justice to the good and the bad. Unfortunately it doesn't do justice to the concept of editing. It refers to John Kerry as "John Forbes Kennedy" and the Contract with America as the "Contract for America," among many similar errors. It amazes me that a book from a major publisher gets this far in the process without someone competent reading it.

That said, it's still very much worth reading; it's a great, well-researched, well-told story about one of the most brilliant, talented people in public life today.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted November 27, 2011

An army of one

A GREAT read. Rush is so right on about our country. Anyone who loves America needs to learn more about him and his thoughts. He is so RIGHT ON!

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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A Great Rush to Judgement

Whether you love him or hate him, Rush Limbaugh is an American--not just conservatived--icon. And, whether you love him or hate him, this book will give you insights into what made Rush, Rush...and that will help explain much. The author was given unparalleled access to Rush's world. his friends, his studio...and the result is an absorbing, penetrating look at the man liberals hate and conservatives love. A great read!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted July 17, 2010

DITTOHEADS TAKE NOTICE!

If you are a Dittohead, this book is awesome! A little bit of insight into the Dr. of Democracy's life.

3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted January 8, 2013

Great book

America We Need Man Like Mr Rush Love Him

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted June 28, 2012

Inspirational

This man loves America. His policies, if implemented, will open the gates for American citizens to prosper beyond their wildest dreams. Fantastic biography. Keep it up El Rushbo!

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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DavDB

Posted February 1, 2012

If You Want to Laugh, Read This One. What a Buffoon!

It incredible that one man could be so stupid yet not see it. His politics are appalling and would move us back hundreds of years to less civilized times. Militant, narrow-minded, heartless, are the words that come to mind when I think of this crazed man. He did have me laughing though at his idiocy.

2 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted November 18, 2012

A good read.

A good read.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted March 13, 2012

Big Fat Liar

I wouldn't pay money to read anything from this man.

1 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted September 10, 2013

Wow

Wow. It doesn't take time to find the brainwashed Libs on these reviews! This man is one of the Largest supporters of our Constitutional rights. Bash the man all that you want but I promise you, he has positively changed the political landscape of this nation more than any other person in modern times.

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Anonymous

Posted March 17, 2013

Responding to If you want to laugh read this one what a buffoon.

Then why did you read it you idiot? I'll tell you why , because you know you liberals are all full of crap.

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Anonymous

Posted May 5, 2012

Recommended

A good read.

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Anonymous

Posted December 4, 2011

Love it!

It let me see a side of Rush that I have never seen before.

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Anonymous

Posted April 26, 2011

Inaccurate and sloppy

Sloppy and distorted misstatements make the contents of this book a great big waste of time.

0 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

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